


Breaking the Morning Routine

by KrisLetang



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Anxiety, Asking Out, Barba Buying Coffee, F/M, First Date, Fist Fights, Jealousy, Nerves, Pining, Sexual Harassment
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-29
Updated: 2018-06-29
Packaged: 2019-05-30 12:40:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15096932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KrisLetang/pseuds/KrisLetang
Summary: You are the Barista at Barba's favorite coffee shop, and you've been crushing on the handsome lawyer for awhile. Will you ind the courage to ask him out?Ratings are for some mentioned sexual harassment issues.





	Breaking the Morning Routine

**Author's Note:**

> Here's my next fic, nice and short. I'm gonna start working on the next part of demons now so if you want something particular included, feel free to leave me a comment below and I'll see what I can do. Let me know what you think!

Today would be the day. At least that’s what you told yourself as you gripped the sharpie with clammy hands. A quick glance at the clock,  _ one hour _ . One hour until he would walk through that door, surely just as sharply dressed as the first time you saw him in his three piece suits and expensive italian shoes. You had been working up your nerve for weeks, but you could barely manage to speak comprehensible English when he would try and make small talk with you much less put yourself out on this very shaky, very long limb. You could already feel the urge to crawl under the counter and die, just imagining the polite refusal, the awkward silence every time he came in or maybe he would stop coming by all together. You had to breathe out the slight panic you were feeling, it was just anxiety, it would be okay, you were going to do it. “Y/N, you’re not being paid to stand there and daydream,” Tony’s angry voice helped to distract you from your building nervousness. 

“Sorry,” you whispered, trying to go around him to go and wipe down some tables, but his big hand reached out and grabbed your wrist, pulling you close to him, “Let go of me,” you hissed, “Please Tony, not today,” 

“Oh come on doll, you know you like it,” he whispered, finally letting you out of his grasp, patting your ass as he headed to the back. You sighed in relief, so glad that he had left. Tony was the worst part of your job, he was always asking you out, messing with you when you were trying to work. You busied yourself cleaning up until there were customers to serve. A long line soon appeared right around 7:30, you were crazy busy, rushing around to take orders and make coffee and get baked goods, and then suddenly you looked up and his brilliant green eyes, the ones that drew you in the first time you saw them, they were looking right at you. 

“Morning,” he said politely, “You guys look busy today,” you tried to swallow around the lump in your throat, to say the words that you had practiced in front of the mirror, but your tongue was tied, 

“Coffee, two cream, four sugars?” you finally managed to croak out, he gave you a kind smile, nodded, and then moved over to wait. You silently cursed at yourself, not even a hello, you hadn’t asked how he was. You shook your head, made his coffee and told yourself you would tell him tomorrow, watching forlornly as he left. 

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

You felt calm as the time approached, what was the worst that could happen? He could turn you down, you’d feel a little foolish, but it wouldn’t be the end of the world. It was 7:45 on the dot when he walked through the door and up to the counter, “Hi,” you said, blushing slightly, “How are you today,” he looked slightly flustered, 

“Good, good, how about yourself?” he asked almost distractedly, 

“Great, thank you, I was just-” suddenly his phone started ringing, interrupting you. 

“I’m sorry, I really have to take this,” he said, pulling his phone from his pocket, “The usual please,” You nodded, feeling deflated as he handed you his bank card and then walked away, talking animatedly. You wondered what he was so worked up about, he looked like he was carrying the whole world on his shoulders. What you wouldn’t do to be able to take that away, to lift away what was bothering him. You shook your head,  _ get a fucking grip Y/N _ , you barely knew the man, this was getting out of hand and fast. Even if you did somehow manage to ask him, you were sure he would find you creepy, this childish crush you had on the handsome man was ridiculous, but you still couldn’t help the smile that broke out on your face as you watched him talk, his hands gesturing along with his sharply spoken words. He looked even more flustered when he came to collect his coffee, rushing out of the store and out of sight, leaving you standing there disappointedly; another missed chance. 

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

You were actually in the back when he first came in the next day. Tony had sent you to go get cups to restock, and when you returned, there he was at the front of the line. You let your eyes wander across the handsome slant of his jaw, his broad shoulders, the confident way he stood, and those big green eyes that could make you weak at the knees. “Y/N!” Tony startled you as he harshly beckoned you over, “I don’t pay you to just stand there, how many times do I have to tell you before you get it through your damn head,” You felt your cheeks burning with embarrassment, a blush surely covering your cheeks. “I like that top on you,” he whispered, his tone softening but his gaze growing darker as he gave you a once over that made you want to burst into tears right there, “But maybe unbutton a few of these,” he whispered, popping your top two buttons through open and leaving you feeling exposed. 

“Hey,” his voice was sharp, and you hung your head in shame, remembering that  _ he _ was standing right there, watching as Tony harassed you. “That is basically the definition of sexual harassment you self absorbed bastard. I suggest you take your hands off of her and don’t let me catch you bothering her again,” While Tony was an asshole, he wasn’t stupid, and he sure as hell wasn’t going to get himself in trouble over something so trivial as yourself. You felt a few warm tears dripping from your eyes and down your cheeks, and you desperately tried to wipe them from your face, “Are you alright?” his hand felt like 100 pounds where it sat on your arm, the small touch sending shivers through you, his eyes were wide with concern. You sniffled, buttoned up your blouse, and wiped at your face, mumbling a thank you before excusing yourself to restroom to try and compose yourself. To your shock, he was still there when you returned, his coffee in hand. As soon as you came into view, he stood, taking a few steps towards you, not crowding you thankfully, “I just wanted to make sure you are okay here with that  _ pendejo _ ,” the venom in his tone when he uttered that word made you smile a little despite yourself. This was such a sweet gesture. 

“I-I’m fine,” you mumbled, “Thank you,” You patted the top of his hand that had come to rest on top of your arm, trying to sound convincing, but truth be told, you were a bit of mess. Tony had always made you uncomfortable but today he had stepped over a line. He pressed a paper into your hand, 

“If you need help, just call me, my number is on that card,” he said gently, “Now I really must go, I have to get to work,” You nodded, thanking him again before tucking the card into your pocket. You couldn’t bear to look at it, he just felt bad for you, it was all out of pity and you couldn’t stand that. At this point, you couldn’t bring yourself to be upset about not asking him, all you wanted was to go home and take a hot shower. 

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

You couldn’t say you weren’t thankful when Tony didn’t say a word to you the next day, but you were still sort of dreading when your handsome friend would come in. It was embarrassing that he had to help you like that. You were quiet most of the early morning, trying not to provoke your boss. 7:45 came and passed, and he didn’t show up, and you had mixed feelings on the subject. The disappointment you felt at missing another opportunity to ask conflicted with the relief of not having to face him after the events of the prior day. You weren’t able to focus on any of it due to the massive influx of customers at 8:00. Finally, it died down around 9:00, and you sagged against the counter, thankful for the break. The jingle of the bell signalling a new customer startled you, drawing out a wearied sigh as you straightened up, “Hi, what can I get for you-Oh hi,” you stumbled over your words when you saw him, “You’re here late,” 

“I had a long night,” he replied, and you didn’t doubt it due to the dark bags under his eyes. “How are you today, he stop giving you a hard time?” 

“Yes, yes thank you,” you said, with a small smile, “The usual?” 

“Yes please, and whatever she wants,” he said, stepping aside. You hadn’t even noticed the taller woman who was trailing your favorite customer. She seemed to consider it a few moments before placing her order, and then turning to talk to him. You watched them closely, scowling slightly at the way she placed her hand on his arm. You could faintly hear their conversation as you moved around, making the fancy drink she ordered. “I feel like I haven’t slept in days. I was at the hospital last night and then with this insanity. I’m going to be ducking calls for weeks,” 

“Maybe you should take some vacation Rafa,” she had a hand on his back now, “Or go home. I’m sure it wouldn’t matter if you took a sick day. God knows you could use it,” You sighed softly, trying not to eavesdrop. It wasn’t any of your business why he’d been at the hospital or if he took care of himself. 

“Here you guys go, enjoy,” you said, setting the cups on the counter. The man, Rafa, smiled at you, 

“Thank you so much,” he said softly. His lady friend smiled at you as well before trailing him over to a table in the corner of the room. They sat there for a while, drinking coffee and talking, and you couldn’t help but feel a burning jealousy at the pit of your stomach. You sure as hell weren’t going to go over there and ask him anything with her there. The way she smiled when she looked at him, it made you wonder if there was anything between the two of them. Finally he stood up tiredly, momentarily meeting your gaze. You quickly looked away, feeling heat flushing your cheeks. “Uh, you guys do refills right?” his voice was light.

“Yeah, yeah sure,” you looked up, blushing slightly as he looked right at you. 

“You here late tonight?” he was making small talk as you filled his cup again. 

“I’m off at two,” you replied, “I have class later,” 

“You’re still in school?” he sounded positively shocked. You might have been slightly offended if you weren’t so distracted by his sudden interest in you,

“Well, I’m going back to school. I wanted to try something new. This is just to help pay for it with flexible hours,” you explained, handing him the cup and then smoothing down your apron. 

“It’s not quite right that eighteen year olds are expected to make decisions about what they are going to do for the rest of their life,” he said softly with a little smile. You pushed the coffee toward him, 

“You’re preaching to the choir,” you replied. His hand brushed yours inadvertently as you handed him the cup. 

“Rafa, ready to go? Carisi’s been calling me for ten minutes,” His tall friend called from the doorway. 

“Yeah, yeah I’m coming. See you tomorrow,” he said with a charming smile before hurrying out the door. 

………………………………………..

You were pulling out cups from the cabinet when you felt hands on your hips, and you knew instinctively it was Tony. “Go out to dinner with me,” he whispered. 

“Tony please stop it,” you said, “We’ve talked about this,” 

“Why are you such a bitch?” he growled, grabbing you and yanking you upright. “I pay your checks, you ungrateful….” he trailed off as he heard the door open, stalking off to the back to cool down. You felt yourself breathing harshly and trying to calm down. 

“Hey,” the man said softly from the counter and of course it was him, here to see you get humiliated again, “You alright?” he asked, and you shrugged, slowly walking towards him, “Is he messing with you again? I’m here, I won’t let him do anything to you,” You appreciated the concern, and he was down right angry now. 

“Thank you, really, I appreciate you more than you know. I’m alright though,” you said softly, touching his hand. He smiled at you, his anger melting into soft concern. 

“Seriously, call me if you need anything,” he told you, “I can help,” 

“Don’t worry about me so much,” you told him softly, and he smiled a bit sadly, “The usual?” he nodded, handing you his bank card like he always would. 

“Y/N! Get your ass over here!” Tony’s angry voice sounded out from the lobby. 

“One minute Tony, I’m with a customer,” you said, but he yelled at you again. You finished Rafael’s coffee, handing it to him, and blushing but he told you to stay right there. You saw him go over and speak in angry, hushed tones with Tony before ducking out the door and waving at you one last time. You shook your head, feeling ashamed and embarrassed, but also grateful. He was so kind, and it made your chest tighten up even more when you thought of him. When you were cleaning up the counter though, you saw a little blue piece of plastic sitting there and you knew it was his. He must have been so angry and preoccupied with Tony that he totally forgot his card. You felt even more guilty.  

………………………………..

You watched the door carefully, but the time came and passed. He hadn’t been back to the store in four days, and everyday, you just told yourself you’d wait one more, you wouldn’t hunt him down, but you wanted to give it back to him. You weren’t sure if he was busy or upset with you for not accepting his help, but you couldn’t wait any longer. You packed up your things, getting your phone from the back and toying with it for a few minutes before you gave in and turned the card over, looking at his name. Rafael Barba. Right there, plain and simple in front of you. You quickly typed it into google, and immediately various links popped up with news stories about police officers and rape trials. You stood there for a second, realizing just what kept him up at night. He always looked like he really needed the coffee before a long day of work, and now you knew just how long. You quickly secured the address of his office, and started your trek towards it. He didn’t work that far away from the shop which you realized probably played into his preference for it. He worked in a big building and you had to go through security before you could even get inside. Someone directed you down a long marble hallway until you reached a heavy oak door. Inside was a lavish looking carpet, and an office with the door shut. There was a young woman sitting at her desk, typing away on a computer, and you approached it. “Hello, I’m Carmen. Mr. Barba is in a meeting right now, but you can wait if you’d like,” she said kindly, looking up at you. You nodded, adjusting the coffee carrier in your hand with a cup of his usual. You wanted to brighten his day, but hopefully he’d be done soon so the coffee wouldn’t be cold. Luckily it was only about five minutes before the door opened and out strolled the tall woman you saw with him before. Your stomach clenched up, and you wondered what exactly they’d been doing in there. You had to tamp back on those feelings and you entered the room, seeing him at his desk, writing furiously. 

“Um,” you said softly, and he looked up, his face brightening for a second, but then it fell. He stood, 

“A-Are you okay? Did Tony do something to you?” he asked, coming closer, the concern evident on his face,

“No, no, nothing like that. You left your bank card at the shop, and I haven’t seen you in a few days, so I--I brought it here for you,” you explained, and he grinned,

“Thank you, you didn’t have to do that. You did save me the trouble of cancelling it though,” he said, standing up. 

“And um, I brought you a coffee,” you said softly, holding out the cup. His eyes lit up, and he looked touched,

“I’ve been so busy the past few days, I haven’t had the chance to….thank you,” he said again, and you couldn’t help but smile at the look on his face.

“I better….I better go, I have class, but uh, enjoy, and I hope I’ll see you tomorrow,” you said. He grinned, and nodded, sitting back down at his desk.

…………………………………………

You stood at the counter, steeling yourself for his arrival. You were going to do it no matter what. There wasn’t going to be anything that held you back this time. You were tired of being scared, and you really, really liked him. As you tried to pass the time, Tony started getting closer and closer to you, ‘accidentally’ touching you, and overall making you feel uncomfortable. You tried to ignore him, but he seemed hell bent on making you miserable. Thankfully, he disappeared into the back for awhile. When you were making a particularly picky customer their special request latte, you heard the bell ring signalling a new customer. You finished the latte, and smiled when you saw him approaching the counter, “Hi,” you said with a soft smile, and he smiled back,

“Funny seeing you here,” he joked, and you laughed, “While I’d love to stay and talk awhile, I came during a court recess, so you think you could quickly get me a large of my regular?” he asked, and you nodded, 

“Of course,” you rung up his order, taking his card and swiping it, “Don’t forget this again,” you teased and he laughed. You quickly made his drink, your hand sweating as you took a sharpie and wrote first, his name at the top, and then in your neat handwriting:  _ Dinner?  _ Followed by your phone number. You handed over his cup and he smiled at you one last time before rushing out. Now to wait. 

…………………..

For hours, you were checking your phone, for a text, a voicemail, nervously, every few seconds. You tried to get yourself to calm down, to stop, but it was so hard. You put yourself out on a very shaky limb, and now you wanted to know if it had been worth it. You finished your shift, feeling antsy and nervous. Your mind was racing. What if he hated it? What if he thought you were some kind of creep? He probably wasn’t going to answer. You left work, heading to class, but the whole time your professor was lecturing, your eyes were flickering over to your phone. You felt exhausted, your stomach twisting up and turning as you waited for him to call. The Subway ride home was long, and by the time you were back in your tiny apartment, you felt tired and pathetic. Why would a wealthy, handsome man like Rafael, who could easily have anyone he wanted, want to be with you. You were poor, barely making ends meet, going back to school, and you felt so stupid for even asking. You took a long hot shower, pouring yourself a glass of wine, and settling on your couch to try and relax a little bit before you went to sleep. It was eleven o’clock, and you were in the middle of a show when your phone started buzzing beside you, and unknown number flashing across the screen. You almost dropped it when you scrambled to pick it up, hopes rising as you hit accept and brought it to your ear, “Hello?” you asked.

“Y/N?” his low voice filtered through the phone and you felt your heart swell like it was going to explode, “It’s Rafael, um, I’m sorry it took so long for me to call you. I’ve had quite the busy day. I would love to take you to dinner if you’d let me,” It took you a few awkward moments to find your voice. Was this some sort of dream? Were you imagining this? 

“Y-Yes of course. Um, when are you free?” you asked finally, trying to sound like a normal person. 

“Well just as a heads up, I am very busy with my job, and I might have to reschedule, but I think I could make time tomorrow if that works for you. Hopefully I can duck out of the office early. I could get you at 6?” he sounded unsure, and it was charming to you how quickly he was trying to reassure you that he did want to go out. You appreciated the heads up about his busy schedule as it would easily cause you massive anxiety were he to reschedule or cancel on you. 

“Tomorrow at 6 is perfect,” you said softly, “As long as you don’t mind picking me up at the café,” 

“I’ll see you then,” he replied, and then he hung up, and you had to sit down because your head was spinning, stomach fluttering with nerves. You couldn’t wait. 

………………………

You were cleaning up some spilled coffee on the table, trying to finish everything up so you could get out of there on time. “Y/N, can you mop up?” Tony asked, coming up behind you, his hands resting on your hips, 

“Tony, get off. My shift is over,” you said softly, but he didn’t let go. 

“Where are you off to in a rush?” he whispered, “You smell really good today,” 

“Get off of her,” Rafael’s voice was soft and tense, and you thanked your lucky stars for him. He was impeccably dressed as always, his hair gelled lightly so it was still a bit fluffy. He had an armful of roses which he promptly set down. 

“What, are you going out with this Boarder Rat?” he asked, purposefully brushing your hair as he stared Rafael down. To his credit, Rafael kept his cool, coming closer and taking your hand, pulling you away from Tony, 

“Y/N, why don’t you go and get ready, and I’m gonna have a few words with Tony here and we can get on our way,” he said with a handsome smile. Tony let go of you, following Rafael out to the parking lot. You untied your apron and quickly collected yourself, picking up the bouquet of roses and then going out to find him. You weren’t prepared to see Tony take a swing at him, his fist connecting with Rafael’s jaw. The lawyer fell back, hissing in pain, and you felt horrified, rushing to his side. 

“Oh my god, are you okay?” you asked softly, and he nodded, swiping his hand over his skin to check for blood. His lip was a bit bloody, probably from biting it, and you eased him up to a sitting position. 

“I hope you know you just assaulted a Manhattan District Attorney,” Rafael said as he slowly got to his feet, “And you called me a racial slur, so you’re gonna be looking at a hate crime. Not to mention sexual harassment. Come on Y/N, let’s get going,” He offered you his arm, and you followed him to a cab. Once you were sitting down beside him, you looked at him wide-eyed, 

“I am so sorry,” you whispered, but he shook his head, 

“None of that was your fault. Don’t let him ruin your evening. I hope you like Italian food,” he said softly, and you smiled bigger than you had in a long time. 


End file.
